Review: Guideline Cabo Sunglasses

by Mike on March 10, 2013

Guideline Eyewear sent me a pair of Cabo sunglasses in December to try out. (It’s one of the perks of being the infamous mountain biking blogger I am… OK, it’s the only perk). They arrived Christmas eve…so festively, I put them under the tree, and opened them in the morning.

It doesn’t take long for me to know if I like a pair of sunglasses or not. It’s usually love at first sight, first fit, and first sweat (if it’s love at all)… all of which you can get in one ride. I’m lucky, living in Arizona, to have spectacular riding weather all winter long, so I have taken the Cabo lenses out on many rides, mountain and road.

First off, the Cabo is for the mountain biker who wants a great pair of everyday sunglasses without spending the cash equivalent of a brand new XO derailleur. I shop for shades that I can actually replace when they break (kids, crashes, butts). At $50 retail ($38 in the outlet store now) the Cabo is priced just right for the rider who wants to get the best gear his hard earned pennies can buy. Here is the skinny after wearing them nearly every day for three months:

Sight: The Cabo look really cool – style, shape, color (In fact the new 2013 line-up includes even more sweet designs as well, including the Draft model). The most important view though, is the view from inside out. The polarized polycarbonate lens is crisp. The best lens I have used at this price point. The polarized lens reduce glare and really make the rocks pop on the trail.

Fit: I must have a “medium to large face,” because they fit me well, and the marketing copy says that’s the size face they fit. The nose pads are slim, and stay put where they belong. On most sunglasses I have owned, the nose pads are what usually break or tear, or simply wear out first. The Cabo pads, because of their low profile, look like they will endure a mountain bikers’ abuse. The Cabo are also featherweight. They look and feel really good.

Sweat: When I ride, I like to climb. Climbing means large drops of sweat will be beading off my forehead. If my shades fit too close to my medium to large face, and are touching my eyebrows, the beads of climbing sweat will fall across the lenses – not good when navigating technical terrain. The Cabos pass the sweat test.

There’s not much I don’t like about the Cabo. Interchangeable lenses would be a plus. I tested the gray lens and it is solid in full Arizona sun. But I prefer an amber lens while riding in overcast and rainy conditions. Lucky for me Arizona has full sun over 300 days a year.

The Cabo get my recommendation. The 100% UVA/UVB protection keep my eyes safe, while the fit, feel and look have made them my everyday sunglasses of choice. They have replaced my old sunglasses, which I have worn for the last 4 years, and have now been demoted to my lawn mowing/safety goggles, and backup riding shades for when I can’t find my Cabos.